New Joiners - Animals #616

This is an eye-catching shot - it is nicely timed and the photographer has set-up their camera well. The kingfisher and lichen covered perch create a pleasing visual balance. The black background creates strong contrast, although it does give the image a slightly less natural, studio-like feel. The file has been over-sharpened, though. which becomes more obvious when you look at the photo closely.

Frogs are often tricky subjects to photograph. Achieving a natural, eye-to-eye perspective, without any vegetation obscuring the subject's head can be awkward, but the photographer has done well in this instance. The frog's eye is pin sharp, as is its glossy, textured skin. This is a vibrant, three-dimensional looking result.

Animal behaviour is rarely easy to capture - photographers need good anticipation, fast reactions, and good camera handling skills. This is a really well-captured shot of red deer mating. It might not be a 'pretty' shot, but it is unusual and well captured - it is always hard to produce original shots of well-photographed subjects. Although the file is a little noisy, it certainly doesn't ruin the image. Well done.

This is really nicely framed pet portrait. The fencing and steps - receding into the background - provides depth and helps frame the subject. The dog itself is bitingly sharp and well positioned. A very authentic and natural looking shot that I'm sure any dog owner would be pleased with if it were their pet.

I really like the simplicity and graphic nature of this shot. The composition, aspect ratio, and black and white conversion all work successfully. The only thing preventing this shot making my Top 10 is image quality - when you look at the high-res file, the image is surprisingly noisy (considering the low ISO) and sadly lacks critical sharpness. Given the long focal length, maybe a faster shutter speed was required.

I'm clearly in a canine mood, as three dog shots make my shortlist. This is a good action shot, with lots of life and movement. The sea and sand create a nice coastal backdrop. The photographer has captured the moment well, using a fast shutter and good technique to produce a lovely result.

What a beautiful subject, with mesmerising eyes - it is unusual to see a dog with such different eye colour. However, it is the gorgeous backlighting and out of focus sunflowers that really help this portrait standout, adding atmosphere and colour impact. I might have considered using a slightly smaller f/number to generate a little more depth of field.

Although the background is a little busy, overall I rate this image. I like the head-on perspective and out of focus highlights in the background. It is a shame that the grass the insect is clinging to just overlaps the dragonfly's mouth parts, but nothing the photographer could do about this. The image is a little over-saturated for my taste, but this is an eye-catching close-up.

It is a shame that the photograph didn't include any information on where or how this image was captured. It is unusual to have four bears in frame all looking in one direction. The foliage provides a neat frame and, although the colours feel a bit oversaturated, this is an attractive and nicely captured image.

This shot has lovely atmosphere, with mist and golden sunlight. Shooting toward the sun has produced lovely rim-lighting and the photographer has timed this frame perfectly, with both stags in identical rutting pose. For me, this shot either needs to be composed wider, to include more of the autumnal context - or slightly tighter to isolate just the subject's heads. A tighter crop would exclude the leaves at the top of the frame and also the distracting object between the deer.

This is a very uncomplicated little owl portrait, but I like it. It is nicely composed with the subject looking into the negative space. The diffused background helps the subject 'pop' and the black and white conversion simplifies the frame even further. An unspectacular, but effective and attractive shot.

I love the blurred, falling snow in this image and the pale, wintry backdrop. Great grey owls are beautiful subjects, but this portrait lacks eye-contact unfortunately - the viewer just can't see enough of the subject's face. Next time, wait until the subject is looking more toward the camera, or (if practical) adjust your shooting position slightly.

I do like innovative images, and this unconventional perspective certainly grabs your attention. However, I'm reluctant to comment on images (and commend them) when I don't know if they were captured ethically or not - for example, is this a captive bred frog, or has it been removed from the wild for the sake of this shot? It is always useful to include some background details when you enter your shots into any New Joiners contest.

This is almost a fantastically timed shot of a kingfisher, but sadly the subject just isn't sharp enough. I'm guessing the photographer has pre-focused their lens on the wooden perch ready for the kingfisher to return. However, the bird isn't quite in the same plane of focus, hence the lack of sharpness. Try again and I'm sure you will succeed next time...

This is attractive elephant photo. The subject is bitingly sharp, with a beautifully diffused backdrop. Personally, I would prefer to see more background and context, but the tight composition provides impact. Photographers need to take care with the saturation slider, though - the greens in this shot are too vibrant and punchy.